


I'm Coming for You

by jowshuaayee



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Cloud is a pouty boy, F/M, Sorta remake compliant, Spoilers for the remake i guess?, everything just sucks after the sector 7 plate falls, he doesn't like being told no
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:40:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24292225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jowshuaayee/pseuds/jowshuaayee
Summary: All Cloud wants to do is save Aerith from Shinras clutches.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Kudos: 17





	I'm Coming for You

“GODDAMMIT, GOD DAMN YOU! GOD DAMN YOU ALL” 

All Cloud could do was watch as his friend angrily punched the rubble, cursing Shinra. Cloud, Tifa and Barret had barely made it off the pillar before Shinra and the Turks bombed the Sector 7 plate, killing the innocent people of the Sector 7 slums, just to get to AVALANCHE.

“Marlene……...Marlene” Barret weekly cried out, mourning the loss of his daughter.   
  


“It was us…….we did this…..” Tifa said as she walked over to Barret offering any form of comfort to the large man.   
  


“No…….you can’t think like that. Whatever happened before doesn’t matter, it was those shitheads Shinra who dropped the damn plate. Am I Right?”  
  


Barret turned only to see Tifa's fist tightening in anger. “Yea…” she replied melancolochly.   
  


“Hold on to this anger, ok?” Barret replied as he enveloped her in a comforting hug.   
  


After a few moments Cloud spoke up; “Barret, Marlene's fine”  
  


“What? How do you know?” he replied confused  
  


“Aerith found her, took her away from Sector 7” Cloud said.   
  


“Aerith…….that the girl the Turks had? Man whats going on??”   
  


“ I asked Aerith to go to Seventh Heaven to get Marlene and take her as far from Sector 7 as she could” Tifa spoke up.   
  


Walking up to Cloud, Barret finally asked “And you’re sure?”  
  


Without saying a word, Cloud walked away. He knew Aerith did, he just knew. A couple moments later, Cloud heard panting coming from behind him, so he turned only to see the large man jogging after him.   
  


“So where are you going?” Barret asked getting impatient   
  


“Aerith's house, it's in the Sector 5 slums” He replied   
  


“And is that where Marlene is?”   
  


“Thats where we hope she is” Cloud replied. Cloud knew Aerith got Marlene out of Sector 7, the girl was stronger than she looked. He just didn’t know how far out of Sector 7 she took her. Aeriths house was the most logical place to take her since it was far enough away from Sector 7 that it would be safe enough from the plate and the rubble falling to the ground. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  


As Cloud and Tifa approached the house, they could hear yelling coming from inside.  
  


“Where’s Marlene? Is she here????” screamed the voice  
  


Protective instincts kicking in, Cloud rushed into the house only to find his distraught friend.   
  


“Barret! Calm down” he yelled trying his best to calm his friend down before it could escalate and make things worse.Realising his aggressive tone, the gunner took a second to calm himself down and regain his composure before speaking again.  
  


“I’m sorry……...Marlene…...shes my baby girl…….Marlene…...shes got short hair…...shes….adorable as hell with the heart of an angel……….she was wearing…...shit ummmm PINK, yes a pink ……”  
  


“Shes sleeping upstairs” Elmyra interrupted noticing how distraught Barret was getting.  
  


After hearing this information, Barret sprinted as fast he could to the stairs not wanting to be apart from his light any longer. “I said she's sleeping!” Elmyra called out   
  


“Uhh right” Barret replied, slowing down his running to not wake Marlene up but still adamant on seeing her. “I want to see her too, let's go check in on her” Tifa called out to Cloud before she jogged after Barret. After checking in with Elmyra, Cloud joined his friends upstairs only to find Barret lovingly watching his daughter sleep peacefully.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  


When the trio returned downstairs, Elmyra explained that Aerith was an Ancient and that Shinra needed her to find the promised land.   
  


“So they knew where she was yet the left her alone? Doesn’t sound like the Shinra I know”  
  


“They claimed she had to go with them willingly or else this wouldn’t have worked……..thats why even thought she was taken away, shes probably being treated like some guest” Elmyra replied sounding defeated. “I’m sure they’ll send her back home once they get what they want….”  
  


“I doubt they would” was the last thing Cloud said before he started heading towards the door, then and there he knew one thing and one thing alone; he HAD to save her, no matter what.

Before he could leave, Elmyra spoke up “You’re not planning anything are you? Please…...don’t make anything worse for her. If I lost her to…….I…….I don’t know how I could……..”  
  


“Cloud, maybe she’s right…..maybe…..they’ll let her go” Tifa spoke up trying to calm Cloud down before he did something rash. “Maybe its better if we waited a bit”

“Lets…...lets head back to Sector 7, got things to do…….like check up on the bar” Barret replied  
  
“Yeah……” Cloud said before he left the house.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  


Barret and Tifa led the way back to Sector 7 leaving Cloud following at a distance. He understood where everyone was coming from, Elmyra not wanting to lose her daughter, Barret and Tifa wanting to check in on Sector 7 and its inhabitants before moving forward. He understood that…….but he couldn’t accept it……..he just couldn’t leave her knowing what they were capable of.

Of course he knew she’s stronger than she looked, he just would’ve felt better knowing she was with him……...or at home safe and not with those Shinra bastards. 

“Hey, everything alright? You’re kinda lagging behind ya slowpoke ” Tifa joked, up pulling Cloud out of his thoughts. 

“Huh? Oh…...uh yeah just tired thats all” He brushed her off, not really in the mood to talk about it.

“Look, I know you wanted to save her…...but storming Shinra HQ isn’t really the easiest thing to do, and who knows…….maybe Elmyras right?” She replied trying to be hopeful. In all honesty, even Tifa didn’t believe that Shinra would simply let Aerith go after they got the information they needed, but she had to be optimistic if she was going to help her friend feel better. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  


Sector 7 was in a much worse condition than they had expected. Thankfully most of the residents were able to escape and reach a safe enough distance away before the plate fell. While mourning the loss of Jessie and Biggs, the trio found themselves separated in a secret Shinra lab located directly beneath where the bar stood. 

Being on his lonesome after fighting side by side with his friends, was not something Cloud wanted to do but it was something he had to do. All he could think about was how once Shinra was done with her, Aerith could be imprisoned in a place exactly like this, awaiting whatever horrid plans they had for her. 

With his mind occupied his attacks were getting sloppier and sloppier. A slash of the buster sword here, a couple scratches and jabs there.

“This isn’t good, if I keep fighting like this I’ll just be dead here and everything will be lost”

Eventually he met up with Barret and Tifa who were fighting some abominations that Shinra had probably cooked up down here. Apparently the two had come across an injured Wedge who had somehow survived the plate collapse. With the comatose Wedge slung over Barrets shoulder, the trio retreated to the only safe place they knew of for him to recover. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  


“I appreciate you taking him in and letting him rest. I’m sorry for bothering you further” Barret said to Elmyra after the trio had returned and set Wedge in bed to rest. 

“Please, I couldn’t just turn a blind eye and let an injured man suffer on the road” Elmyra replied. 

The room was silent for a couple moments before Cloud spoke up. “Elmyra, I know you said not to, but you have to let us go after Aerith.”

“Ugh not this again” Elmyra sighed  
  


“We found a secret Shinra lab beneath Sector 7 where they did human testing. I know these people, and I know that they have zero intention on letting Aerith go once they have their hands on her” he explained “Shes the last Ancient alive, you should know how important that is to their plans…...especially to that prick Hojo”   
  


“ENOUGH” Elmyra interrupted 

“But-” before he could say any more Tifa walked over to calm him down, knowing how much it hurt her friend. 

“Please, I need some time to think…..”Elmyra sighed. ”From the sounds of it, you’ve all had a long day, please get some rest” 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sleep continued to evade Cloud no matter what he did. Suddenly, he heard some steps coming from outside the door. Noticing the sleeping Barret, he grabbed his sword and walked out of the room quietly. Looking around he noticed what looked like Aerith walking down the stairs.

“What the hell?” he whispered to himself.  
  


Quietly he followed her form and left the house. Walking a bit he noticed Aerith sitting on a small hill among some flowers. As he got closer to her, she turned and smiled at him.  
  


“How is this……..is this a dream?” He asked aloud 

“Heh maybe it is? You tell me” there she goes being as coy as she always is, he thought.

“Are you alright?” He asked 

“Don’t I look alright?” she said as she gestured to herself. “I used to live at Shinra HQ when I was younger ya know.”

“Yeah, your mom told us”  
  
“ So, I guess this is kind of like I’m returning to my childhood home ya know?” she replied. “Its actually not that bad”

“So…….you wanna stay?” he asked, still worried for her. 

“ C'mon Cloud, don’t be so silly” she sighed

“You know, your mom is also worried about you”  
  
“Also? Don’t tell me you’re also worried about me” A smirk crept on her face at the thought of Cloud also being worried for her safety.  
  
“Huh? Of course I’m worried about you” Cloud hesitated before stumbling over his words.

  
“I’m sorry for worrying you all, really” she replied. She could see the worry on his face as he glanced at him. She shifted around noticing the green streaks illuminating the sky.  
  
“Is that……”  
  
“Everyone dies eventually” she says as she brings her hands up in prayer.  
  
“I guess……”  
  
“So we have to live our lives to the fullest, the way we want to live it. Every single moment, it's all that matters”  
  
“I’ll remember that”

Aerith smiled contently, then noticing he was glancing at her lost in thought.   
  
“Good”   
  
Looking back at the sky he replies “We need to embrace this moment...right?”  
  
Sighing she continues “I’m glad I met you Cloud. I’m grateful for all the moments we’ve spent together, all the conversations we’ve had…….you have made me happier then you will ever know. I will always cherish this time you’ve gifted me. But…….no matter what, you can’t fall in love with me.   
  
Those words hit him in the gut, eyes wandering to his side in disappointment.   
  
Reaching out, her hand softly slides down his cheek. Her hand now cupping the bottom of his chin, she pulled his attention to hers.

"Even if you think you are.......it's not real." her hand dropped to her side.

Not wanting to let her go, Cloud reaches out to grab her arm only for his hand to go right through her.

“Do I get a say in all of this?”   
  
“Its a new day, time to go.” she replied, moving once again away from him.  
  
“I’m coming for you” he says finding a new resolve.  
  
“If that's what you want…...Thank you”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Man this was supposed to be much shorter than it actually is but guess this is what happens when I start writing about something I love haha. Anyways I find it kinda funny how it took me this long to write my first Clerith fic since I've been a Clerith trash bag since I was 15. I hope you guys enjoy this, criticism is always appreciated. Hope yall are staying inside and safe during these trying times. See ya in the the next one!
> 
> Also shout outs to Master_Aqua_EX for proofing this and for kicking my ass back into Fic writing when I had 0 motivation to write. He writes some amazing Shuann stuff so go check out his work.


End file.
